Bernie Delia: Dear President Trump

By Bernie Delia

Throughout history, from ancient times to the present, members of the LGBT community have proudly and honorably participated in every facet of public and private life, serving the wider community and sharing our many talents. For much of that time, we did so while hiding our true identity, without the benefit of any societal support, and often under the threat of outright hostility. Happily, over the last fifty years, we have moved from being shunned and invisible to being out and able to joyously and openly share who we are with family and friends. Every year, often in June during Pride month, we take that celebration of the dignity we feel every day and share it with the larger community.

Although these events now have a more festive tone to them because of the great advances that have occurred, nonetheless, the protests against intolerance from which they originated, remain at the heart of the annual commemorations, even up to today.

During your recent presidential campaign, you said that while in office you intend to protect the members of the LGBT community from foreign threats specifically aimed at LGBT people. That is certainly a worthwhile goal. We hope that you will also protect us domestically from those in our country who would either harm us outright through violence or by passing discriminatory laws aimed at making LGBT people second-class citizens and thus depriving us of the basic rights enjoyed by the majority of Americans.

The many and diverse members of the LGBT community have survived — and thrived — in times of great difficulty and danger. We derive strength from that diversity and acknowledge that our struggle is informed by and joined with others in the civil rights community. We have withstood daunting challenges with intense determination. We possess, individually and collectively, the power to persevere and endure in the face of adversity. We appreciate those who have taken up our cause, become allies, and ultimately helped us.

Because there is work still to be done, we ask you to support our journey to full equality. Nevertheless, we will continue to move forward — we’ve done it before and we will do it again. Not only is equal treatment under the law our right as American citizens, but we have come too far and made too much progress to ever turn back now. Stand with us.